'''Trek''': Pai is a major starting point for organised trekking tours which are offered by every guesthouse and travel agent. Pai is undoubtedly one of the best trekking destinations not only in Thailand, but in all of southeast Asia. It offers beneficial proximity to vast jungle-clad mountainous terrain, some of the world's most extensive cave systems, and diverse and intriguing fauna and flora. Plus hill tribe communities that trace their origins to the Shan ethnicities of Burma (Myanmar) and southwestern China. (WWW.TREKPAI.COM)

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Rent a bicycle or motorbike to ride around the countryside seems to be the most popular activity. You can easily create an itinerary to include visits to the nearby waterfalls and hill tribe villages. Potential day trips include the Tham Lod bat cave 55 km away in [[Pangmapha]], best visited when the bats emerge just before sunset.

Rent a bicycle or motorbike to ride around the countryside seems to be the most popular activity. You can easily create an itinerary to include visits to the nearby waterfalls and hill tribe villages. Potential day trips include the Tham Lod bat cave 55 km away in [[Pangmapha]], best visited when the bats emerge just before sunset.

Line 76:

Line 77:

Go off road through the mountains of Pai on a off-road motorbike tour. Up here it gives you better off road possibilities and against better prices than in Chiang Mai. Ask your guest house where to book.

Go off road through the mountains of Pai on a off-road motorbike tour. Up here it gives you better off road possibilities and against better prices than in Chiang Mai. Ask your guest house where to book.

* <do name="Elephant Trek" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price="">For several years now, travellers have enjoyed riding an elephant and concluding the trip with a romp in the Pai River. For this adventure, take as little as possible. You'll be enjoyably wet as the elephant is encouraged to shower you. Some operators, and there are several, are willing to take photos of you while you enjoy the elephant's antics in the river.</do>

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* <do name="Elephant Trek" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price="">For several years now, travellers have enjoyed riding an elephant and concluding the trip with a romp in the Pai River. For this adventure, take as little as possible. You'll be enjoyably wet as the elephant is encouraged to shower you. Some operators, and there are several, are willing to take photos of you while you enjoy the elephant's antics in the river. </do>

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* <do name="Isara Garden's Cookery School and Restaurant" alt="" address="94 Moo 1 Viengnor, Pai 58130" directions="10 Minutes by motorcycle from the centre of Pai, for directions just call Muk, she organises free pick-ups" phone="+66 85 623 0091" url="" hours="" price="1000 baht" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">Unique Asian fusion organic cookery class, run by Muk, a former restaurant manager and bar manager at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. The school is located in an eco-friendly, atmospheric open-air studio, designed by the owner itself, and in the middle of Isara Garden's organic vegetable patch with a good view over Pai Valley.</do>

* <do name="Sor Wisarut Muay Thai" alt="" address="259 หมู่1 ต.แม่ฮี้ อ.ปาย จ.แม่ฮ่องสอน" directions="" phone="+66 86 182 6483" url="http://www.wisarutmuaythai.com" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">Managed by a friendly Thai/Italian couple, this camp offers professional training. Not far from the centre, the camp is surrounded by mountains that make for a breathtaking view. Two sessions a day (morning, evening) with reasonable prices and accepting trainees at all levels. /</do>

* <do name="Sor Wisarut Muay Thai" alt="" address="259 หมู่1 ต.แม่ฮี้ อ.ปาย จ.แม่ฮ่องสอน" directions="" phone="+66 86 182 6483" url="http://www.wisarutmuaythai.com" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">Managed by a friendly Thai/Italian couple, this camp offers professional training. Not far from the centre, the camp is surrounded by mountains that make for a breathtaking view. Two sessions a day (morning, evening) with reasonable prices and accepting trainees at all levels. /</do>

* <do name="Tha Pai Sot Springs" alt="" address="" directions="signposted from the Chiang Mai Rd" phone="" url="" hours="" price="200 baht" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">Bathing here is supposed to have therapeutic properties, but you'll want to save it for a cool day. Sulphuric water bubbles out of these hot springs at temperatures of up to 80 degrees Celsius and simple baths have been created where the springs meet a stream which cools temperatures to bearable levels. A short, marked forest trail takes you through the compact national park more noticeable for its smells than its sights. Last entry to the springs is at 18:00, but you can stay longer as long as you get in before 18:00. If you'd like to enjoy the hot water after sunset as it gets cool, you can bathe in a mineral pool in the nearby Thapai Spa for 80 baht.</do>

* <do name="Tha Pai Sot Springs" alt="" address="" directions="signposted from the Chiang Mai Rd" phone="" url="" hours="" price="200 baht" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">Bathing here is supposed to have therapeutic properties, but you'll want to save it for a cool day. Sulphuric water bubbles out of these hot springs at temperatures of up to 80 degrees Celsius and simple baths have been created where the springs meet a stream which cools temperatures to bearable levels. A short, marked forest trail takes you through the compact national park more noticeable for its smells than its sights. Last entry to the springs is at 18:00, but you can stay longer as long as you get in before 18:00. If you'd like to enjoy the hot water after sunset as it gets cool, you can bathe in a mineral pool in the nearby Thapai Spa for 80 baht.</do>

* <listing name="Trek" alt="" directions="" address="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="http://www.trek.com" hours="" price="">Pai is a major starting point for organised trekking tours which are offered by every guest house and travel agent. Pai is undoubtedly one of the best trekking destinations not only in Thailand, but in all of southeast Asia. It offers beneficial proximity to vast jungle-clad mountainous terrain, some of the world's most extensive cave systems, and diverse and intriguing fauna and flora. Plus hill tribe communities that trace their origins to the Shan ethnicities of Burma (Myanmar) and southwestern China.

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</listing>

* <do name="Tubing" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">Floating down river on an inflated rubber tube has long been a favourite past time of southeast Asian backpackers, and the gentle current of the Pai River and its attractive scenery make this a good spot to try. Unlike the more famous Vang Vieng in Laos, the Pai River isn't lined with raucous bars playing loud music, which some may consider more a blessing than a curse.</do>

* <do name="Tubing" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">Floating down river on an inflated rubber tube has long been a favourite past time of southeast Asian backpackers, and the gentle current of the Pai River and its attractive scenery make this a good spot to try. Unlike the more famous Vang Vieng in Laos, the Pai River isn't lined with raucous bars playing loud music, which some may consider more a blessing than a curse.</do>

* <do name="Isara Garden's Cookery School and Restaurant" alt="" address="94 Moo 1 Viengnor, Pai 58130" directions="10 Minutes by motorcycle from the centre of Pai, for directions just call Muk, she organises free pick-ups" phone="+66 85 623 0091" url="" hours="" price="1000 baht" lat="" long="" email="" fax="">Unique Asian fusion organic cookery class, run by Muk, a former restaurant manager and bar manager at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. The school is located in an eco-friendly, atmospheric open-air studio, designed by the owner itself, and in the middle of Isara Garden's organic vegetable patch with a good view over Pai Valley.</do>

Contents

Understand

Pai

Set in a particularly picturesque valley north of Chiang Mai, Pai is a predominantly tourism-oriented town, offering a relaxed atmosphere with a broad tourist and backpacker scene. The town's permanent residents are a seemingly harmonious mix of Western hippies and Thai rastas which gives the place a unique vibe which may be appealing to some, even if it isn't traditional.

A sudden boom in guest house and bar construction from 2006 onwards has resulted in a great deal of spare capacity in the off-season.— There has been a large increase in Thai people visiting after Pai was featured in a romantic Thai film, Pai in Love [[1]] It can be hard to find a room during the busy season (Oct-Feb). There are now around 350 guest houses and hotels in Pai, and the city centre has transformed into a tourist centre containing Western-style restaurants, souvenir shops, live music venues, tattoo parlours, and bars that cater largely to the now significant influx of tourists and package tours.

Whilst the growth of Pai has been rapid and more or less every farm in the valley seems to offer bungalows, development so far has been largely tasteful and the town remains relatively serene during low season.

Get in

By road

Route 1095 which connects Pai with Mae Hong Son (50 km as the crow flies, but approx. 110 km by road) and Chiang Mai (135 km) is a very scenic route through the mountains which takes several hours (but worth it). It's a steep and windy drive, with lots of curves, so take a plastic bag and some motion-sickness pills if you need them.

By motorcycle

Rt 1095 isn't as bad as people make it out to be. There isn't much traffic and you can hear the cars and trucks coming. If you're a little adventurous, rent a motorcycle in Chiang Mai and make the ride up to Pai. You can stop at the waterfalls and small towns along the way, and you'll really enjoy the trip, as opposed to being motion sick in a bus for hours, and being forced to stop at the driver's friend's restaurants. Make sure to take some warmer clothing on your bike, as it tends to get a bit chilly in the higher portions of the ride. As a novice rider, expect the trip to take around 5 or 6 hours, including stops at sites and restaurants along the way. aYa Service [2] offers one way rentals from Chiang Mai to Pai (or vice versa) with luggage delivery for free (as of May 2010). They will keep your passport and send it along with any baggage to aYa in Pai.

By bus

Buses and minibuses go to Chiang Mai (Arcade terminal) and Mae Hong Son. Regular public buses take around 4 hours and charge 75 baht; The privately operated minibuses take around 3 hours. There is a 15 minute rest stop at the small half-way village of Mae Sae, which has very good Northern sausages, seasonal fruits and traditional curries and soups available as well as snacks, drinks and importantly, well-serviced toilets {3 baht}. Tickets sold by guest houses and travel agencies cost about 150-180 baht, however the best option is to head straight for the ticket office adjacent to the orange/white minivans & buses at the far side of the old Arcade Bus Station (across the road from the new bus station). Tickets are consistently 150 baht here (as of May 2012), the buses are well-serviced and fitted with better quality brakes appropriate for the 762 unforgettable curves that carve their way across the mountain range, and even better, you can avoid complications from booking via guest houses (extra cost due to booking commissions; and poorer quality minivans that often have non-functioning air conditioning).

If your budget is extremely tight, take the public bus. It's not highly recommended as the buses are older and less up to the task of the demanding mountain carriageway, however some travellers prefer the slower pace in order to ease the gravitational pressures of cornering on one's stomach and to take in the scenery. But after traversing this road perhaps a hundred times or more, the orange buses are by far the best option and give you a better chance of getting to Pai in a timely way and unwinding at your guest house.

The buses described above generally operate hourly from Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son via Pai and services commence from around 06:30 with last service around 17:30. In high-season season those services often increase to half-hourly.

It may also be possible to privately hire a small red pickup truck (known as a songthaew) that can carry up to a dozen people, from the Arcade station, but you would be looking at a minimum cost of around 1200 baht which doesn't stack up to the much safer and economical private minibus service. If you choose this option, the view and wind in your face may be pleasant, but not the exhaust fumes, road grime, and seasonal humidity.

TOP TIP: From your guest house in the Old City precinct of Chiang Mai, walk to prominent Thae Pae Gate and flag down a red songthaew and ask "bai arcade satanee rot bat, mai?" ("Do you go to Arcade intercity bus station?). Most but not all, do or will go there and the fee is just 20 baht per person. Tuk-tuks will usually want 150 baht for the same journey. On your return from Pai you will be inundated by pushy tuk-tuk and private hire songthaew operators but a simple "mai ow krap" ("No thanks", said politely) followed by "tong khan songthaew bai Thae Pae gate" should see you directed to the small flotilla of waiting red songthaews, which involves a wait usually of no more than 10 to 15 minutes to get a shared 20 baht ride and avoid sole chartering at significant extra expense. It it takes too long, watch which direction the songthaew head off (towards the west and the distant Doi (mount) Suthep, and flag one down on the side of the road for 20 baht!

By plane

Kan Airlines [[3]] operates one or more daily flights between Chiang Mai and Pai, depending on the season. Flying time is 25 minutes. Passengers can make reservations and purchase tickets through the airlines' websites, their call centres, or with a travel agent.

Get around

The town itself is compact and best explored on foot.

For exploring further afield, bicycles (40-100 baht/day) and motorbikes (from as little as 80 baht/day) can be rented from many agents along the main street. As the roads around Pai are steep and obtaining a decent mountain bike with fully functioning gears is surprisingly difficult, motorbike is definitely the better option if you can ride one. aYa Service in the town centre rents bikes for 100 baht (and a 100 baht helmet deposit), plus 40 baht for damage insurance, 40 baht for theft insurance (passport taken as deposit). You also have the option to return the bike in Chiang Mai. Suggestions in guidebooks that Ban Santhichorn and Lisu Village might be reached on foot are optimistic.

Motorbike and 4WD taxis are also readily available.

You'll also want a motorbike if you're planning on staying in some of the outlying bungalows in the valley around the town.

See

The town itself has quite a variety of sights even though most people come simply for the relaxed atmosphere. Nearby attractions include hot springs and waterfalls, villages and a hilltop temple.

Chinese village (Santichon). Village settled by Yunnanese hill-tribes who crossed the border in the middle of the 20th century to escape Communist rule. Shops selling different Chinese teas with varying health properties, and other interesting oddities include a human-powered Ferris wheel. Well worth a look, even as a brief stop on the way to Mo Paeng waterfall

Pai Canyon (Kong Lan), (signposted from the Chiang Mai Rd, approximately 8 km from Pai). Somewhat optimistically described as Pai's answer to the Grand Canyon, it could more accurately be described as narrow red ridges with steep-sides valleys, both sides filled with pine and dipterocarp forests. The steep 50 m drop either side and stunning views over the surrounding countryside are impressive, but you'll need to be careful here. The path is extremely narrow in some places and requires a scramble in others. A set of steps up to a viewing platform provides the safest way to admire the scenery and the canyon makes the perfect spot for a sunset.

WWII Memorial Bridge, (on the road to Chiang Mai, approximately 8 km from Pai). The original bridge here was built by the occupying Japanese. The current steel truss bridge which sits alongside the present main road was assembled in its current position rather more recently, but as with Pai's "canyon", the bridge invites 'very loose' comparisons with the infamous Bridge over the River Kwai.

Waterfalls

Mae Yen - 7 km out of town with no bikes allowed for the last 6 km of that. Head east over the bridge heading out of Pai and follow the signs. It takes about 2-2.5 hours each way, crossing the river every few hundred meters.

Mo Paeng, (west of Chiang Mai past Santichon). A little more accessible than most of Pai's waterfalls, this multi-tiered waterfall flows through a verdant green valley and is popular for its pools to swim in. The upper section of this waterfall is a natural water slide during the dry season. The rocks are smooth, just find a small section and slide on down like the locals do!

Pam Bok - on the road to Chiang Mai before Pai Canyon. Nice secluded waterfall with high cliffs surrounding it, making this a very cool place to escape the heat. Go for a relaxing bathe in the shade during the dry season.

Events

Poi Sang Long is a famous Buddhist children ordaining festival, especially in Mae Hong Son. Thai Yai cultural dance show can be seen at the temple fair, in the night.

Do

Rent a bicycle or motorbike to ride around the countryside seems to be the most popular activity. You can easily create an itinerary to include visits to the nearby waterfalls and hill tribe villages. Potential day trips include the Tham Lod bat cave 55 km away in Pangmapha, best visited when the bats emerge just before sunset.

Go off road through the mountains of Pai on a off-road motorbike tour. Up here it gives you better off road possibilities and against better prices than in Chiang Mai. Ask your guest house where to book.

Elephant Trek. For several years now, travellers have enjoyed riding an elephant and concluding the trip with a romp in the Pai River. For this adventure, take as little as possible. You'll be enjoyably wet as the elephant is encouraged to shower you. Some operators, and there are several, are willing to take photos of you while you enjoy the elephant's antics in the river.

Isara Garden's Cookery School and Restaurant, 94 Moo 1 Viengnor, Pai 58130 (10 Minutes by motorcycle from the centre of Pai, for directions just call Muk, she organises free pick-ups), ☎+66 85 623 0091. Unique Asian fusion organic cookery class, run by Muk, a former restaurant manager and bar manager at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. The school is located in an eco-friendly, atmospheric open-air studio, designed by the owner itself, and in the middle of Isara Garden's organic vegetable patch with a good view over Pai Valley.1000 baht.

Sor Wisarut Muay Thai, 259 หมู่1 ต.แม่ฮี้ อ.ปาย จ.แม่ฮ่องสอน, ☎+66 86 182 6483, [4]. Managed by a friendly Thai/Italian couple, this camp offers professional training. Not far from the centre, the camp is surrounded by mountains that make for a breathtaking view. Two sessions a day (morning, evening) with reasonable prices and accepting trainees at all levels. /

Tha Pai Sot Springs, (signposted from the Chiang Mai Rd). Bathing here is supposed to have therapeutic properties, but you'll want to save it for a cool day. Sulphuric water bubbles out of these hot springs at temperatures of up to 80 degrees Celsius and simple baths have been created where the springs meet a stream which cools temperatures to bearable levels. A short, marked forest trail takes you through the compact national park more noticeable for its smells than its sights. Last entry to the springs is at 18:00, but you can stay longer as long as you get in before 18:00. If you'd like to enjoy the hot water after sunset as it gets cool, you can bathe in a mineral pool in the nearby Thapai Spa for 80 baht.200 baht.

Trek, [5]. Pai is a major starting point for organised trekking tours which are offered by every guest house and travel agent. Pai is undoubtedly one of the best trekking destinations not only in Thailand, but in all of southeast Asia. It offers beneficial proximity to vast jungle-clad mountainous terrain, some of the world's most extensive cave systems, and diverse and intriguing fauna and flora. Plus hill tribe communities that trace their origins to the Shan ethnicities of Burma (Myanmar) and southwestern China.

Tubing. Floating down river on an inflated rubber tube has long been a favourite past time of southeast Asian backpackers, and the gentle current of the Pai River and its attractive scenery make this a good spot to try. Unlike the more famous Vang Vieng in Laos, the Pai River isn't lined with raucous bars playing loud music, which some may consider more a blessing than a curse.

Whitewater Rafting. Some of Thailand's most spectacular rapids are found between Pai and Mae Hong Song, and a few operators offer both one- and two-day rafting trips.

Buy

Pai's burgeoning tourist industry has resulted in a range of cutesy hippie-influenced souvenirs sold in shops throughout the village

Some of the hill-tribe members selling handicrafts in the local market, although what's on offer here pales in comparison to the range available in Chiang Mai

Pai has an abundance of bookshops, some of which carry harder to find titles. Many are along the bus stop road, past Aya services.

Eat

For such a small town, there's an astonishing number of restaurants, most of them catering for needs/tastes of foreign travelers but also including a wide range of Thai regional cuisines.

In the evenings, various stalls open at the main street with different offers at different days.

Art in Chai - Beautiful place built by the artist, Otto. Warm cosy atmosphere with great chai tea and cakes and cookies. Nice atmosphere to play instruments. Free WiFi.

Burger House - The new owner Nat and husband Matt offer 12 different real beef burgers, chilli, sandwiches, specials, dinners, pork chops the size of a Clive Cussler novel, beer, wine, etc. Located 100 m east of the traffic light on the main road.

Good Life - Serves organic and vegetarian foods at decent prices. Rice (including brown) dishes with vegetables starting at 40 baht. Breakfasts from 100 baht. Has a great selection of tea from the tea master TK.

Kin J - This little vegetarian restaurant between the main traffic light and the afternoon market serves a selection of purely vegetarian food daily. Get there early, as it's mostly sold out by mid-afternoon. It's only 25 baht for brown rice and two dishes.

Na's Kitchen - Na still works in the kitchen everyday, serving Northern food to tourists and Thais. She speaks great English, and will even teach you a bit of Thai if you ask nicely. Na's is always a favourite of the long-stay travellers and the ones returning for a second, or third go in Pai.

Peace of Pai, (on the edge of town on the road to Mae Hong Son), ☎+66 89 955 4548 or +66 82 182 2383. Home-grown organic food is served here but the main attraction is the postcard-perfect view from the upper floor terrace. Hemp clothing is sold downstairs, which may or may not fully explain the prominent "THC" signs

<Unknown> - The Thai local restaurant of choice. Find it directly opposite the Pai District Office. Very few Westerners to be found, but the menu is in English. Excellent Thai salads and sticky rice.

Curry Shack - Order a curry served in a coconut!

Charlie & Lek's - The vegetables used in the cooking are grown fresh on their own farm and the bar has a wonderful relaxed and romantic atmosphere. Located on the road to Chiang Mai, just before the police station. Look out for a sign with the restaurant logo, We Love Lettuce! Thai food is 30-70 baht a plate. They also offer cooking classes for 750 baht a day.

Witching Well - Wide selection of all types of food, including some great Western dishes and amazing shakes. Try the apple pancake, it's to die for. One of the co-owners is Italian, so the pasta dishes are amazing and authentic. Coffee is great as well as the tomato salad and avocado salad when in season. Witching Well website

Nong Beer Restaurant, (on the corner of first traffic light on Walking St). Family-owned restaurant that serves "fast Thai food" (food is already cooking and comes straight from the pot). Very good food and very cheap. Kao-Soi with beef for a price of 40 baht.

Drink

There are many bars selling beer and cocktails, especially along the main street that leads to the Chiang Mai bus stop. There's a wide choice of live music, typically involving Thai bands playing their way through reggae classics. There are also many tea and coffee shops, including herbal brews.

Late night venues are found clustered on the fringes of town: across the bridge on the eastern fringe and on the road to Chiang Mai on the west

Bamboo Bar, Raddamrong Rd (across the bridge on the eastern edge of town). Bamboo-floored venue perched on the riverside next to the other late night venues. Open until late, cozy atmosphere and good food

Bebop Bar, (on the edge of town on the main road to Chiang Mai). Offers a range of live music

Don't Cry Bar, Raddamrong Rd (across the bridge, next to Bamboo bar). Mostly open-air bar with fireshows, reggae music and pool table. Fills up later in the evening.

Edible Jazz, (about 50 m from the junction next to Wat Pa Kam). Varied live music in the evenings in a relaxed atmosphere

"Park@Pai" live music every night from 21:00. Music lounge with artistic interior design. www.parkatpai.tk

Reggae Bar is on the road to Chiang Mai, just pust Ting Tong. This hard-to-find bar is the place for hippie hang outs. Look for the people sitting around a camp fire with acoustic guitars and djembe drums. Live music every night sometimes provided by the customers. Feel free to bring along your own instrument!

Yellow Sun Bar Great hangout with good selection of reggae music, a pool table and friendly owner. Popular hangout with most of the travelling crowd.

Sleep

There's an abundance of guesthouses in Pai, most of them in the budget range (a bungalow goes for around 100-500 baht depending on amenities included). Mid-range options are available and there are now even luxury hotels, such as The Quarter.

At the bus station there is a map of Pai. Get this as it will show you the location of most of the guest houses (> 100 places). There is also a discount for motorbike rental.

If your accommodation is far away from the two main streets of bars, be careful if walking alone of the packs of dogs that roam the empty streets at night. They do get territorial and intimidating, so if you come across them then remember to keep a safe distance away and make noise to scare them away.

Heading out of town there are swarms of bungalow setups.

For accommodation with lots of character try out a bamboo hut on the river. Head east from the bus station and either take the first left or continue straight. Either way you'll reach a bamboo bridge. Across the bridge you'll find plenty of cheap accommodation (about 100-400 baht per night).

This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room:

Budget

less than 500 baht

Mid-range

500-1500 baht

Splurge

over 1500 baht

Budget

Abodaya Guest House, (turn left out of the bus station & head into the small Wanchalerm Rd. Abodaya Guest house is just a short walk from the junction.). Cosy, clean wooden rooms with attached bathrooms, fan, & more power sockets than you'd need. Nice hot shower. & front porches attached to most rooms with couches & cushions provided. Very rustic environment amid the convenience of location. Both 7-11s are just less than 5 minutes walk away. Just walk a minute to the main road to where all the activities are. Friendly & helpful staff.150 baht..

Baan Pai Riverside At the end of the bus station road just across the bamboo bridge a very friendly Thai family offers simple bamboo bungalows with hot water private bathrooms, mosquito nets, and small terrace to sit and read for 150/200 baht/night. Just on the river, nice view and relaxing. Raised bamboo mat next to water great for morning yoga stretches or just chilling out. Restaurant, too.

Eden Guesthouse About 1 km down the road heading towards the hot springs and just past "Spicy Pai". Rooms are a clean bungalow style with private bathrooms, free WiFi and hot showers. Beds can be a little hard but just ask for another mattress or comforter. The owner is very friendly, offering discounts for people staying a long time and rides into town on the back of her motor bike if you are staying there alone. The garden in well-maintained and beautiful with a relaxing common area, but you are not likely to run into many other guests if you are not staying here in peak season. This place is great for people who want some privacy and solitude. Rooms: 200 baht in the off-season.

Golden Hut, 107 Moo 3, Pai (5 min walk from the Pai bus station), ☎+66 53 699 949. Rustical bungalows with nice views of the Pai River and surrounding mountains. Many bungalows are built along the Pai River with long beach frontage. Inside the resort they have a beautiful spacious garden with nice atmosphere.150-1000 baht.

Happy House Guest House, (on the small soi opposite the gas station and 7-11.), [7]. Free pool table. Free WiFi. Stove and dishes for cooking your own food. There is a bar downstairs with a sociable atmosphere.150-500 baht.

Mountain View Guest house[8],+66-861805998 - Located a little way out of town at the top of the hill, opposite Bebop. An unpretentious, peaceful guest house with gorgeous views overlooking Pai. Video room, bar and free entrance to Fluid swimming pool & gym. Bungalows with Western bathrooms and hot showers. Free WiFi. Prices start from 150 baht. Camping available.

Noon House (guest house) - 053699383.Turn right from the bus terminal, then turn immediately right again. It is some 30 m along on your right (look for the sign). It is quiet, with no outside disturbance. Double/twin 400 baht fan and 500 baht air-con. Twin has outside toilet. Rooms have TV with plenty of channels. Laundry done cheaply. They will rent a motorcycle to you for 120 baht per day and in our case this was about 15:00 until 18:00 the next day (volunteered by the owners!) The street in which the guest house sits has any number of restaurants in the opposite direction to which you come in, and there is a 7-11 some 300 m distant.

Phi Chi, East past the main traffic light, past Burger House on the right. 'Phi Chi' is Thai for older brother. Approx. 300 baht per night. Quiet, clean, hot water showers, western toilets, some rooms have TV and it's close to everything.

Spicy Pai Hostel, [10], Established in Aug 2011. Dorm room 150 baht. 10 minute walk from town. Call for pick-up or ask at aYa minibus centre when you arrive. (Tel +66 85211 9467) Warning, will be full in peak season.

Tacomepai[11],+66-861123504. Simple bamboo bungalows in an organic food forest. Knowledgeable owner will teach you about sustainable living and farming at daily classes or for a fee. You will be invited to actively participate in farm life and to cook in the communal kitchen. 6 km from town on the road that comes from Chiang Mai. Food picked from the farm costs 15 baht/meal. Free pick-up at bus station. Free WiFi. 100 baht/person.

Mid-Range

Amy's Earth House[13] 99 Moo 5, Mae Kong, +66 53 065 099, located 4 km north of Pai (turn right at the airport). Seven ecological adobe houses and 3 dormitory rooms set in beautiful gardens with a wonderful view over the valley and mountains. Fan-cooled rooms (air-con unnecessary due to the natural building style), TV and WiFi in all rooms. Laundry service and very clean rooms. Pool table. Restaurant with Thai and European food. The owners speak English, German and Thai. Free shuttle service; the bus station will call for you.

Charn Resort[15] 103 Moo 8, Wiang Tai, Pai, Mae Hong Son, +66 (0)89-1649328, +66 (0)53-698126, located 1 km from the center of Pai. The bus will pass Charn Resort when driving into Pai. Charn Resort offers you not only the opportunity to return to nature, but you will also be surrounded by the beauty of nature and the lovely garden. By staying at this resort you will have a great view of Pai surrounded by many mountains. Charn resort is a colourful resort. There are houses all with different colours. There are fan-cooled and air-con rooms including TV, hot shower and free wifi.

Pai Laguna Tel +66 81-7339055 or e-mail pailaguna@yahoo.com, [16]. Located to the west of the city, about a 10-15 minute walk from the centre. The Pai Laguna offers excellent individual bungalows for two people with a separate bathroom, and balcony overlooking the lagoon and with exquisite mountain views. Prices range from around 500-900 baht a day, with reduced rates for those looking to stay on a longer basis. You will find discount vouchers for Pai Laguna if you eat at Charlie & Lek's restaurant (see Eat above).

Rim Pai Cottages, 99/1 Moo 3; +66-26730966 (fax. +66-22119656) One of the more "upmarket" options in Pai and offers several kinds of wooden cottages starting at about 500 baht (double) including breakfast, which is served on a nice open terrace overlooking the Pai river.

Violin House and Garden, ☎+66 8-98504968,+66 8-71746896, [17]. Located north of Pai just up the hill from the crossroad at Mae Khong. Violin is the name of the daughter of Kim, the owner. Kim's English is a bit limited, but she is a meticulous innkeeper and lovingly cares for a collection of charming and very tidy bungalows. It's a few kilometres from town, past the airport, but the setting is serene and the sunset views to the mountains are sublime.Low season 490-1,390 baht; high season 600-2,000 baht, WiFi and A/C included..

Butterfly Homes, ☎+66 53 115-270 (info@stayatbutterfly.com). A private, teak, 3-house, connected compound, plus 3 mud houses for daily or weekly rental. Located in town just up the road from Pai Hospital and walking distance to walking street. Two of the teak houses serve as bedrooms with king-size beds and the third house is the living and lounge area. Bathrooms in all villas with outdoor showers in the bedrooms. Cleaning staff on-site. Hin, Din, & Sai are 3 mini mud villas in a creative cob-style built from local soil, sand, and stone. Located in a single compound, the design reflects all that is Pai. The resort in same compound serves and delivers authentic delicious Thai food.1,800-8,000/room/night.

Contact

Pai has several Internet cafés, most on Thanon Ratchadamnoen and Thanon Rangthiyanon. They are a uniform 30 baht/hour for ADSL. There are some places with free Internet for customers of food and drink. There is also one place that accepts donations for use of a wireless connection. The Internet supply has improved in Pai at last.

Get out

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!